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The Roman Catholic Church is closing down all foreign diplomatic accounts at the scandal-plagued Vatican bank after concerns were raised over large cash transactions by officials from Iran, Iraq and Indonesia.

The move, which will affect accounts held by about 20 foreign embassies, is part of a wider clean-up that is expected to purge 900 of the bank’s 18,000 customers because they fail to meet tightened oversight standards.

According to Italy’s Corriere della Sera newspaper, the first letters cancelling accounts were dispatched on September 23. Britain does not have an account with the Vatican Bank.